A Meiji Love Story
by MrFoshizzleProTheWanderor
Summary: A Meiji Era twist on the classic tale of Romeo & Juliet. Look for the full summary inside and dont be afraid to R&R!
1. A Destined Meet

_A Meiji Love Story_

_..._

A/N: This is a story Sessha created after listening to thousands of different songs :) This story is a little bit of a Meiji Era twist on the Romeo & Juliet tale. Though Ive never read Romeo & Juliet, I know some of its storyline...and besides, it only makes this story far more original if I dont know the Romeo & Juliet tale, ne? :)

Summary: _Kaoru Kamiya is the daughter of a rich lord in Tokyo, Japan. Her father is willing to do anything in his power to make his beloved daughter happy...except allow for her to have a boyfriend. When a young man stumbles upon Kaoru in town, little does she know that this man will impact her life far more than she realizes. They meet on accident once more, and Kaoru is for certain that this man is going to be involved in her life. With their secret meetings, they begin to form a strong friendship. However, their relationship soon changes...taking turn for the worst. Will they reforge the bond they created, or will it be lost in a hopeless thrash of seas? _

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is rightfully owned by the great Nobuhiro Watsuki, and I claim no rights to his works whatsoever. **

Special thanks goes out to my friend at school who helped give me some much needed information on things I wouldnt know about and for providing me with ideas for this story :) Enjoy ^_^

_..._

_Chapter 1_

_ A Destined Meet_

"Kaoru, darling? It's time to get out of bed!" a feminine voice called.

"Be quiet Himiki!" ordered a masculine voice in reply. "Our daughter can sleep as much as she likes." A beautiful young woman sat across from her husband in the main room, a startled expression replacing her calm aura. She frowned, but nodded. "Yes dear," she murmured, bowing. "I'm sorry."

The man was well-built but lean, his face bare of any sort of facial hair besides his thin black eyebrows. He wore his long raven black hair in a high hanging topknot. His brown eyes were narrowed toward his wife. "Don't bother with apologizing," he sighed. He dug his chopsticks into the small bowl of rice and chewed on a single grain, still staring at Himiki with annoyance. He lowered his face to avoid eye contact with her.

"Kaoru definately has your horrid talent at cooking," he grumbled.

The corner of Himiki's eye twitched. "Oh, so you think you can do better?" she shot back. Then, a smirk spread over her lips and she folded her arms inferiorly across her chest. "Well, at least I know where she gets her anger issues from."

"Now you listen here, Himiki..."

As the two adults bickered about downstairs, upstairs, meanwhile, lied a young maiden, asleep in her bed. Her bluish-black hair splayed over her pillow while her hands clutched the ends of her blanket close to her nose. She was lost in a state of dream; a dream in which she did not intend to ever awaken from.

_She sat in the center of a lucious green meadow, the sun shining so radiantly overhead it made everything seem so feathery and vibrant to her eyes. The world around her was so fragrant, so perfect. _

_"I never want to leave this place," she breathed, falling back into a garden of flowers. She shielded her eyes from the beaming rays and looked to the beautiful blue sky, a single white butterfly fluttering on by overhead. She sighed. 'Such a wonderful place to be...nothing could make this any better...'_

"...maybe I wouldn't be so hot tempered if you knew how to cook better!"

"That's no excuse to be acting so rudely!"

"Mmph..." The girl's eyes fluttered open, met by the sun's soft touching rays. Her blue eyes sparkled brightly in the light. Disappointment masked her face when she realized she was no longer in her dreamland. _So much for that dream...and to think it would've gotten better if I'd stayed asleep just a while longer..._

She rose from her bed and plopped down on a soft white chair. Looking herself in the mirror, Kaoru noticed the faded purple beneath her eyes and the ragged hair-do she had. _Well this won't do. _She picked up her white brush with sapphires encrusted in the back and grew and meniacle smirk. _Hair: prepare to meet your maker. _

Kaoru brushed through her thin layered hair with ease, humming a soft tune to herself as she listened to the birds chatter about outside of her house. Once she pulled her hair back with her pink ribbon and dressed into a elegant purple kimono with a cherry blossom design, she smiled at herself before stepping downstairs to greet her arguing parents.

"Good morning, mother," Kaoru said with a cheerful smile. "Good morning, father."

The parents stopped in the middle of their agruement to look in Kaoru's direction. Their expressions changed from anger to a much calmer mood filled with warm smiles as they greeted right back.

"Why, good morning darling." Himiki smiled.

"Hello honey," said Kaoru's father with softness in his eyes. "It's good to see you this morning."

"Thank you." Kaoru dipped her head and took her place at the table. She saw the food lying in the center and turned to her mother nervously. "Um...mother, did you make breakfast?" she asked.

Himiki nodded.

"I think I outdid myself this time!" Himiki boasted, beaming.

"Feh. I beg to differ..." Himiki shot a glare in her husband's direction. He snorted, grumbling something under his breath.

Kaoru interveined and quickly changed the topic. "So father, where are Yahiko and Sano?" She figured her two brothers would be up and about the town -as they usually would be- but she wanted to keep her parents from biting eachothers necks off. He glanced at her and replied, "In town as usual." Then his eyes slitted in suspicion. "Why are you asking?"

"Heheh...no reason in particular. I was just curious is all."

He gazed at her for a moment longer before finally relaxing and continuing his meal without further question. Kaoru sighed in relief. _That was too close, _she thought.

...

The Kamiya family took a horsedrawn carridge into town for the day. Kaoru sat in the back close to the passenger window to gaze out at the bustling shops and streets. For years, Kaoru had longed to wander around town by herself for a change. She was always told to stick with her brothers, no questions asked. And if her brothers weren't there to keep an eye on her, either her mother or father would.  
>She frowned.<p>

When had her life become to overwhelmed? She already knew the answer to that: since the day she was born, of course.

She watched with longing the cute passing couples, arms looped through one anothers or hand-in-hand. _Why won't father let me have a boyfriend? _wondered Kaoru.

Her father, lord of the Castle Town in Tokyo, Japan, would do anything for her. Anything her heart desired, he would go out of his way and get it for her. The only problem was, he would never let her have a boyfriend. Just a simple romantic relationship with a kind young guy was all she wanted, but her father always refused to give her that.

_"Your not old enough to understand the hardships of a relationship," _he lectured her more than a thousand times. "_And on top of which, your my precious little flower and I refuse for any man to break your delicate heart!"_

_Delicate heart. _

Kaoru's father apparently didn't know her as well as he thought he did. She was far from being a delicate girl. _Has he forgotten how he's taught me the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu? _She remembered not once shedding a tear when a bokken was thrusted into her side or was bombarded against her shoulder. Kaoru had no clue as to where her father was getting all these dilusional ideas of herself being delicate as a flower or not mature enough to handle relationships from.

She watched as two familiar figures passed by her window before she recognized them and nearly bounced out of her seat. "Stop the carridge! Stop it _now!"_

It came to a slow stop. The horses neighed and spluttered in protest. Both her parents whirled around to face Kaoru. "What is the matter, dear?" asked her mother tenderly.

"I swear, if this is about taking a look at some passing guy..."

"Of course not!" Kaoru interrupted her father indignantly. She balled her hands into fists on her lap and muttered, "I saw Yahiko and Sano alittle ways back. _That's _why I asked to stop."

Her father flushed but cleared his throat immediatly. "Why didn't you say so in the first place, honey? Come along. Let's see if we cannot catch up with them."

_I _was _trying to tell you. As usual, though, you never let me finish what I'm saying. _Kaoru huffed and jumped out from the carridge. Her father and mother came out shortly after. Instantly, they were at her side. Kaoru mentally facepalmed herself.

"Let us be on our way!" Her father marched off, leaving her and Himiki behind. Himiki ushered her daughter forward. "Come along, darling!" she chirped. "Keep up with your father!"

_I'd rather not, _Kaoru wanted to say but kept her mouth shut. Her father was an utter embarrassment to her in every way. And her mother was far worse. Nonetheless, she had to love them, though at times she'd like to toss them down a well and leave.

They caught up with Sano and Yahiko at last, and Kaoru couldn't have felt any happier. Her tall, spikey haired older brother looked down at her and smiled. "Hey little missy," Sano said. "What's up?" Her younger brother, Yahiko, short with brown spiked hair, said, "Hey ugly sis, whatcha doin'?"

Before she had time to reply, her father stepped in her way and confronted Sano sternly. "Sanosuke Kamiya, how many times do I have to tell you not to wear that ridiculous outfit in public?" he fumed. Sano chuckled. "Dad, it's cool, alright? It's not like I'm causing a crime or nothin'. Besides, it was a gift from grandpa, remember?"

"I know who it was from! You don't need to remind me." A flash of sadness flickered in their fathers eyes during that exact moment, but vanished as quick as it had shown. "I don't want you to wear that in public. I mean, look at the kanji symbol on the back of it! You shouldn't be waltzing around town with an outfit like that on your back!"

_Wait! _

Kaoru gaped as an idea popped into her mind. _This could be my chance to look around town by myself! _

She glanced from her parents to her brothers and back again, double checking to be sure they wouldn't see her attempt to leave. When she felt certain they wouldn't notice her absence, Kaoru giggled mischiviously and slunk away as unseen as a ghost, then, ran off fast like a cheetah.

_I did it! _Her mind screamed in joy. She was far away enough that they looked like a speck of dust in the distance. Slowly, Kaoru came to a rest and panted, glad that she had stopped and at the same time overjoyed that she had finally done what she would only dream of doing.

_Ha! I sure showed _them! Kaoru straightened up and placed her hands on her hips triumphantly. _Whose a delicate, immature flower now? _

She twirled around slowly to take in all the different shops, houses and resturaunts she never took the time to notice before. Her eyes widened in amazement. _Wow...so this is what I've been missing out on, huh? It looks really impressive for a town!_

"Hey there little girl. You don't wanna stray to far from your family. Someone might just come in and swipe you up."

Kaoru jumped at the sudden sly voice that rose up behind her. She whirled around to see a lanky guy standing before her with black hair tied up in a topknot wearing a blue kimono with a matching hakama. He was peering down at her, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Suddenly, two more men showed up from behind him, wearing the same get-up, one a semi-tall man with short brown hair and the other a broad muscled man with rough black hair.

She took a few steps back and swallowed hard. "W-who are you?" she stammered. Then, added with a scowl, "Leave me alone. I don't want to cause any trouble with you guys, so you better back off."

The tall man snickered.

"Playing hard to get, are we now?" he mused. He whipped out a silver gun and pointed it directly in her face between her eyes. Kaoru jumped with shock. _He has a gun?_

"Sadly for you, _girly, _I don't care much for women who play hard to get. You'll come with me and my pals here nice and easy..." He rested his index finger upon the trigger and it clicked. "...or if you refuse, were gonna have some _complications _arise. And we surely wouldn't want that, would we?"

_Okay-maybe running off from my family wasn't such a great idea afterall. What do I do now? This creep has a fully loaded gun right in my face! _While sorting out her options, the two men from behind Kaoru's tormentor appeared on either side of her and started to forcefully grab hold of her arms. "Ah!" she screamed.

The town's people stopped and gasped in horror at the sight they were witnessing. The man holding the rifle moved his arm in the crowd's way threateningly. They yelped and shrank back in fear. "One false move to help the woman," he growled. "And you'll all regret it."

"Not if I can help it."

Kaoru turned around to see a short red haired man making his way nonchalantly toward them, his violet eyes slitted, a sword at his side, and a cross shaped scar on his left cheek. The tormentor threw his head in the short man's direction, sneering. "You want some of this, shorty?"

The red head ignored the threat, replying calmly. "All I ask is if you would release the girl. If you don't, I will have no choice but to deal with you and your comrads here."

The man smirked. "You really think you can take us three down, shrimp?" He laughed. "How amusing! The brat thinks he can take us out!" He took a step forward, glaring at the red head. "Listen here, carrot-top," he hissed. "Unless you want your brains splattered across the street, you better stay out of our way."

The short man lowered his head. "I don't think you understood what I said earlier," he murmured. "Let the girl free and I promise not to cause you men any trouble. If you choose to refuse, then it has become my problem, and I'll have to see to it that you are taken care of."

"I'm sick of hearing your talk, kid. Do us all a favor and _shut the hell up!" _

The gun fired. Kaoru tightened her eyes shut, teeth clenched. The only sounds she heard were the gasping and shrieks of the people and the painful groans of a man thumping to the ground.

**Owari**

And so brings us to the conclusion of the first chapter. What are your thoughts on the story so far? Please be kind enough to let me know by reviewing :) It only takes but a minute of your time, and I'd greatly appreciate if you would. Thank you for reading! See you next chapter!

-MrFoshizzleProTheWanderor


	2. Awkward Visions

_A Meiji Love Story_

A/N: This is a story Sessha created after listening to thousands of different songs :) This story is a little bit of a Meiji Era twist on the Romeo & Juliet tale. Though Ive never read Romeo & Juliet, I know some of its storyline...and besides, it only makes this story far more original if I dont know the Romeo & Juliet tale, ne? :)

Summary: _Kaoru Kamiya is the daughter of a rich lord in Tokyo, Japan. Her father is willing to do anything in his power to make his beloved daughter happy...except allow for her to have a boyfriend. When a young man stumbles upon Kaoru in town, little does she know that this man will impact her life far more than she realizes. They meet on accident once more, and Kaoru is for certain that this man is going to be involved in her life. With their secret meetings, they begin to form a strong friendship. However, their relationship soon changes...taking turn for the worst. Will they reforge the bond they created, or will it be lost in a hopeless thrash of seas? _

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is rightfully owned by the great Nobuhiro Watsuki, and I claim no rights to his works whatsoever. **

_Chapter 2_

_ Awkward Visions_

"...ss...iss...Miss?"

It took some time before Kaoru came to conciousness. Her eyes slowly opened. The first thing she saw were a pair of violet eyes, large and blinking. Then, she bolted upright in her place on the ground. "W-what happened?" asked Kaoru, thrashing her head right to left, searching for the men who tried coming onto her. Nevertheless, the only thing she saw was a busy street of town's people and the short red head standing before her. The town acted as though nothing had happened.

"Are you okay, Miss? You must've taken quite a heavy blow to the head when you fainted."

_I fainted? Does that mean...it all was only a dream?_

Kaoru turned back to look at the man. Short he may be, he looked overly handsome at the angle the sun rays shone on him. His red head glowed brightly like fire, his cross shaped scar stood out overall, but what Kaoru could not get over were those perfect pair of violet eyes that stared back at her ever so worriedly. _How in the world does he have violet eyes? _He wore a simple magenta kimono with a faded gray hakama. He looked as normal as any person, but there was something rather peculiar about him that she couldn't wrap her head around.

"Allow me to help you up, Miss."

"Huh?"

Kaoru had no time to answer as his slender arms wrapped around her securely and lifted her off the ground in seconds. She gaped. _Wow! He's really strong for someone who looks so small statured._

He smiled brightly at her and his violet eyes were wide with enthusiasm. "There we are," he said. "You should be fine now, that you should. I couldn't help notice those men were giving you a hard time, so a thousand apologies for interfering."

_So then, it wasn't a dream afterall. _It all came rushing back to her like a film rolling in her mind. The man, holding the rifle deathly close to her face, the mysterious red head who arrived to save her, the gunshot, the gasps, the screams, the fall of a man's body upon the street. Everything was played back to her as much as she had allowed herself to see and hear. The only question that loomed in her mind...?

"How did you survive that gunshot?" He blinked at her, puzzled. "Oro?" he murmured. A look of rememberance sparked in his eyes and his mouth turned into a small 'o' shape. "Oh, you mean the man with the gun, don't you? There's no need to worry. I wasn't fatally harmed by the shot, and neither were the men who came onto you."

"You mean to say that you took on all those guys all by yourself?" He nodded and Kaoru's eyes stretched in bewilderment. He smiled at this, eyes lighting in amusement. Suddenly, voices began calling Kaoru's name. She zapped out of her thoughts quickly. "Oh no...! My parents. I forgot I abandoned them earlier!" She faced him with plead in her eyes. "Please, let me down, Sir," she told him. "My parents would kill me if they saw me with a man!"

"Of course." Without arguement, he let her down gently to the ground. Kaoru regained her footing and bowed lowly to her savior. "Thank you for saving me, Sir," Kaoru said. She was about to run off when she suddenly stopped herself, twirled around, and asked him, "I almost forgot-what is your name kind sir?"

He smiled as he replied. "Kenshin. Kenshin Himura."

_Kenshin Himura..._

Kaoru couldn't help but smile. "Well, thank you Kenshin. I hope our paths will cross again someday."

Kenshin dipped his head. "As do I Miss..." he trailed off.

"Kaoru. It's Kaoru Kamiya."

At first he stared at her, confused. But he smiled and finished softly, "Yes. As do I Miss Kaoru."

"Kaoru!"

"Kaoru?"

She whirled on her heels, shouting, "I'm coming!" and running away. Kenshin stood in the middle of the street, watching the young maiden leave. Once she was out of sight, Kenshin took his leave as well, thinking oh-so fondly of the Kamiya girl. _She seems to be quite the beautiful one, _he thought. _That she does._

* * *

><p>That night, Kaoru sat alone in her room, her only company being the low melody of crickets and the bright full moon illuminating through her balcony window. Her parents had been disappointed in her sudden actions to go off on her own in town. Therefor, her punishment given was to stay locked up in her room for the rest of the evening. Kaoru sighed.<p>

She never intended to make her parents angry. All she wanted to do was take what glimpses of the world she could before returning to them unnoticed. Kaoru felt stupid for not thinking her plan through.

_Thanks to my petty desires,_ she thought ruefully._ I've been sent away to my room for the remainder of the night. _Still, she couldn't help admit she had gotten one good thing out of her failed plan. _I got to meet that cute guy who saved my life without hesitation. _

Kaoru found a small smile spread upon her lips. That had been the only good thing she liked about her plan: unexpectantly meeting a dashing man she could only dream of meeting in her fantasies. She casted her eyes to the round moon in the sky. _I wonder where he would be now. Probably at home, I would suspect. _She sighed. _What I wouldn't give to have the freedom he has..._

_Clank!_

"Huh?" Kaoru blinked.

The clanking noise sounded again, and this time her eyes ventured to her balcony window. Silence swept over the room. Kaoru perked her ears to hear clearer. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment when it didn't repeat. "Huh...now what on earth could've done that-"

Suddenly, a cloaked figure leaped onto her balcony, it's face hidden beneath it's navy blue hood. But Kaoru could easily tell this mysterious person was a man. And as she watched on, he drew something from inside his sleeve and placed it as gently as he could upon the balcony railing. He must not have noticed she was awake, for he turned around without a single glance in her direction.

In a matter of heartbeats, he was gone.

Kaoru's eyes stretched. _Who was that? _

Quickly and with much caution, the young girl fled from her bed to the doors, opening them wide and stepping out onto the balcony. Her breathing came out ragged, fearing the cloaked stranger was still looming around and that he had his eyes fixed on her right at this very moment. Kaoru's blue eyes flitted across the balcony rail, searching for what the man had placed on it.

Her gaze came to a rest upon a particular spot on the balcony. Glowing in the moonlight, a radiant lavendar rose stood out against the white railing. It's petals looked soft as swan feathers, glistening with fresh dew. The thorns on its stem had been expertly cleaned off, not a single pointed thorn in sight. Kaoru hesitantly placed her fingertips on its stem before she picked it up and examined it more closely.

It smelled sweet, and as Kaoru breathed in its luxurious scent, something from the corner of her eye flickered and vanished. She threw her head to the side, her heart throbbing in her throat. Something _had_ been watching her, just as she had thought. However, whoever or whatever it was that was spying on her apparently was gone now. Kaoru shifted her gaze warily around herself one last time.

Then, with a tired yawn, she whisked around and headed back into her room, taking a glimpse over her shoulder as a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

_Whoever that man was, I wonder how he found me so easily. I must take precautions from now on. Who knows what that mysterious man is after. _

At the sound of her balcony doors swinging shut, a shadowy figure stepped out from his shelter among the shrubs. His amber eyes stared up momentarily toward Kaoru's room. A soft smile spread upon his lips, knowing that his work here was finished. _Until we meet again, Kaoru Kamiya. _

He silently thanked the mystical old woman who had given him the rose. Her name was Akemi. Though he had had second thoughts about going to her considering her reputation amongst the towns' people (she was considered deranged for practicing magic and calling herself a sage), he was surprised that Akemi's plan had worked.

_"All you have to do is place this rose upon her balcony railing," _she had instructed him. _"When she picks it up, she will instantly become more intrigued by you and she may even dream of you." _

_"And as long as you are secretive about it, this woman will not have the slightest clue of your true identity."_

_And that is exactly what I am hoping for, _he thought.

Casting away his thoughts, he disappeared in a whirl of shrub leaves and into the cool dark night, leaving no sign of his departure except for a lavendar rose. The lavendar rose landed without a sound to the grass. It's petals darkened, turning black and vanishing without a trace...

* * *

><p>By the next morning, Kaoru was awake brighter and earlier than usual. She extended her arms over her head and stretched them out. "Mmhp!" she grunted. She looked out her balcony window. The sky burned with the faded colors of an arising dawn. The birds lovely song played overhead and Kaoru listened to the rhythmatic sounds of gardener's tools digging into the fresh summer soil further below.<p>

Nothing could have sounded sweeter than this blissful quiet.

_I should get up before dawn more often! _

Kaoru was readying herself to bound to the bathroom to take a warm morning's bath when suddenly from the shelter of her covers sprouted the lavendar rose. She blinked. Then, realization of the night burned back into her mind and she plucked the rose out and examined it again.

_Just who _was _that man I saw last night? _

Now she was certain it had been no dream. _But if it wasn't a dream..._

She cleared her head of the wavering thought. "I better start bathing before the rest of the family wakes up!" Kaoru sat the rose upon her nightstand and proceeded to the bathroom. On entry, she came in contact with yet another lavendar rose hanging over the back of the door. Kaoru's eyebrows raised.

"What on earth is this doing in here?" she murmured to no one in particular. She removed it from the door and looked it over again. "I could have sworn this was in my bedroom..."

_Waking up this early must be messing with my head or something. _Kaoru decided that was the case. Absentmindedly, she placed it back where she had it before and tried to start her bath up again.

As she heated the bath water up, Kaoru started to disrobe. And low and behold, from the depths of her kimono sleeves came a flood of more lavendar roses. She gaped.

Kaoru impatiently shoved the blasted roses into a bathroom drawer and relievingly hopped into the tub. The hot water soon spread warmth over her body. She breathed a sigh and lied her head back to enjoy her pleasurable bath.

"Ah...all this silence and nobody to bother me." Kaoru grinned. "Such bliss!"

She sunk deeper into the churning waters until all that lied above the surface was her head. With a satisfied sigh, Kaoru shut her eyes to take in the wonderfully peaceful morning. _This is all so wonderful! _Kaoru told herself. _Nothing could make this morning better!_

"How about you open your eyes and tell me, is your morning better than best now?"

Kaoru's heart stopped.

Her eyes were stretched wide open in a single breath.

She screamed.

The gentlemanly man Kaoru had only so recently encountered in town the day before was now sitting right there in her tub, fully clothed but with a sinister look gleaming in his amber eyes. Kenshin smirked at her terrified shrieks. He made a move toward her but Kaoru allowed him no contact with herself, hastily retreating to the far end of the tub. She was scared out of her wits but moreover embarrassed and mortified.

_What the hell is he doing in my bathroom?_

"_GET THE HELL OUT! AH!"_

"Little missy!"

"Hey ugly!"

"My dear!"

"Kaoru, my darling! What's the matter?"

Kaoru's head swung to the bathroom door. Her two brothers followed by her parents barged in like all the flames of Hell were nipping at their heels. Her mother and father thrashed their heads side to side in search of their obviously placed daughter whereas Sanosuke and Yahiko took it upon themselves to stare oval-eyed and slack-jawed at Kaoru.

Kaoru's face turned a deep shade of crimson.

She screeched, "G...GET OUT!"

The family was sent flying out the door by the power of her cry. Kaoru sulked in the tub, her blood boiling. _Ugh! The nerve of some people! _For an odd reason, she felt unusually testy this morning. Why she was angered so easily seemed beyond her own comprehension.

_Well, whatever the reason... _Kaoru thought as she thoroughly brushed through her ebony hair sitting grumpily on her bed. _...I surely hope it doesn't interfere with my day. _

And with that, Kaoru vowed to herself that she would try and keep steady control over her emotions. She rose from her bed and slid the shoji open. A downpour of lavendar roses rained down from the heavens above, burying Kaoru in all their sweet scented glory, muffling her shrieks.

_Today is going to be a very LONG day... _

* * *

><p>"You old hag!" His amber eyes radiated with rage.<p>

An elderly woman who looked to be in her mid-eighties disregarded his insult with a roll of her eyes. When she faced him, one could tell by her withered face and long gray hair that she was very old indeed. She snorted, "Whatever your here for, it ain't my problem!" She turned her back to him, grumbling.

He frowned.

"You fool," he snarled. With speed faster than god-like, he had the old woman by the throat, a gleaming sword blade pressed against her neck. He sneered. "You lied to me!"

She managed to rasp through the strangle hold, "What...are you talking...about?"

He was getting very tempted to silence her once and for all, but all temptation was held down by his fueled annoyance. "You never mentioned the blasted rose would multiply!"

She struggled against his grasp to choke out her reply. "How was I suppose to predict it would do something like that?"

_**Thud!**_

"Argh!"

The old woman slammed to the floor with a thump. The man scowled at her, a tense mark pulsating on his forehead. He growled, "Your a useless essential in my plans, Akemi." He moved toward the shouji door to depart. "If you cannot help me in this little matter, I must find someone who will." _Maybe then things will go the way I want them to. _

Just as he slid the shouji open a crack, Akemi was up to her feet and calling after him. "Wait a second there son!"

He cringed. "What is it now?"

Akemi relaxed, knowing now that she had his full attention. She smiled.

"If you would like something more helpful, then take this."

From the recesses of her silky kimono sleeve, she withdrew a small pouch. He held his empty palm to her and in turn she placed the lightweight pouch in it. He brought it close to his face, a look of intrest masking his amber eyes. "And what exactly is this?" he asked.

"It's a little something I whipped up during my free-time," she replied. "You'll be able to use this in a few days time."

He didn't bother to ask what he would use it for. He decided to leave the interigation to a stand still unless he needed to know its purpose. Tucking it inside the pocket of his gi, he dipped his head to her and smirked.

"Thank you. I'm sure your magicks will come in handy when I'll be needing it."

"I would certainly hope so."

Akemi bowed and the man left in a flash. Her smile grew wider. _I certainly hope so..._

* * *

><p><strong>Owari<strong>

A thousand apologies for the late update my friends! I didn't realize my little fanfiction here would spark any intrest to anyone. But I'm entirely grateful to those who reviewed, indeed I am ^-^

_Queen Emily the Diligent: __Thank you very much my friend ^_^ You reading my story is very much appreciated, that it is :) I'll upload a new chapter soon ^^ Thank you again!  
><em>

_NekoXUsa: Thank you my friend! XD Haha sorry about the cliff hanger. I like to keep my readers wondering, you know? Keep there intrest and make them think what will happen XD Thank you again :D I try my best to be careful how much I detail something (usually I detail too much on one thing and I even bore myself so I have to go and change it XD) I'm almost finished with the second chapter so i hope to have it up maybe even by tonight :) Im happy to hear you enjoy it. Keep reading! :D  
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Thank you two and those who have been reading! Your reading and reviews is very much appreciated, it is :D Please review with your thoughts! It only takes but a moment of your time :)

See you next chapter!

-MrFoshizzleProTheWanderor


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